My Complete Houseplant Guide- Why I LOVE Houseplants

November 1, 2018

Houseplants have become my favorite accessory to decorate my home with. I love how a houseplant breaths life into a space. A houseplant is something I think every room needs. And yes! You can keep them alive. Houseplants are so much easier to keep alive then you think. I believe many times we over think it and “kill them with love” because we overwater and let the roots sit in water. Or we don’t come up with a watering schedule and forgot to water. It is important to check what each of your plant’s need for water and sun before you bring them home and just place them where you think they should go. Rather then checking what it needs. They are worth the extra effort. Trust me you can get the hang of it. Because there are so many benefits to houseplants!

Main Houseplant Tips-

Majority of the time plants don’t like change, but sometimes they need it to thrive #lifelesson

Don’t overwater, water in small amounts. Remember plants don’t like their “feet” constantly wet. Would you?

Pick a day to water your houseplants and stick to it. Water Wednesday is easy to remember or Thirsty Thursday!

Benefits of houseplants-

Boost mood, productivity, concentration and creativity

Reduce stress, fatigue, sore throats and colds

Clean indoor air by absorbing toxins

Add life to a sterile office, give privacy and reduce noise levels

Are therapeutic and cheaper than a therapist

Today I am breaking down each and everyone of my houseplants so you can see how much houseplants add to a space. Bonus I asked one of my favorite places to get houseplants online The Sill and they are offering 10% off all their houseplants for today only! Use code NESTINGWITHGRACE10 as a 10% off promo code .

Philodendron- Great Houseplants for beginners!

LIGHT- Bright and indirect sunlight. I have one by our bathroom window and it doesn’t do the best there- get’s too much sun.

WATER- Water about once a week or I will go every two weeks. Water a little at a time or water once the top part of the soil is dry. Don’t let the roots sit in water.

FACTS- Has a reputation of being one of the easiest houseplants to grow. Perfect plant for high shelves or hanging plants because the leaves can trail up to 10 feet! I have one by our bathroom window and it doesn’t do the best there- get’s too much sun.

WHERE TO FIND– I found the large philodendron on the fireplace at Home Depot. My smaller philodendrons I found HERE @thesill

See all my different types of Philodendrons below-

I found that large philodendron at Home Depot recently. The mini one philodendron in THIS pink pot can be found online HERE. I just got THIS Silver Philodendron and put it in THIS (similar) marble pot. Isn’t it the cutest color? Hanging in the window is the philodendron that is struggling a little by the bright window. It is newer, so I think it is just adjusting. The pant in the gold planter is an Air Plant. Another easy plant to care for! I added a hanging planter with a philodendron by why friends oven to soften the edge of the kitchen cabinet. I used THIS ceiling hook. You do have to make a hole with a drill bit (on the back of the product it says drill bit size for instance 5 1/16″). Then you hammer in your anchor where you just drilled your hole. Then twist in the hook! Pretty simple. Just make sure the hook is strong enough to hold the weight of whatever you get. Also if your planter has a hole in the bottom you want to make sure to not over water or put something under the planter when you water!

The above plant is the philodendron family, a monstera plant! I found this one at Home Depot. Find online HERE.

Succulents- Great Houseplants for beginners! Including Aloe Vera Plants and Snake Plants

The above Snake Plant came in that pot, find the combo HERE. Snake plants are often called “Mother in-law Tongue”. Also I learned that the snake plant of all the different oxygen producing plants, this one is unique since it converts a lot of CO2 (carbon dioxide) to O2 (oxygen) at night, making it ideal to have several in your bedroom. Another one of the easiest houseplants too! Just remember not to overwater.

The above Snake Plant came in that pot, find the combo HERE. Snake plants are often called “Mother in-law Tongue”. Also I learned that the snake plant of all the different oxygen producing plants, this one is unique since it converts a lot of CO2 (carbon dioxide) to O2 (oxygen) at night, making it ideal to have several in your bedroom.

The Favorite Houseplants-

This is one of my favorite houseplants! I found mine at a local nursery (find HERE too). I brought it home and put it in this bookcase and it has stayed here for about 9 months. It has done well in the bookcase because it gets some light from the window. I water in small amounts once a week and don’t let it sit in water. I did not re-pot it yet. I just put it in a planter on top of rocks so the water can drain out. I will repot it in the spring.

I also love to cut ling pieces of my Kangaroo plant for jars in bookcases.

I have had that plant for about three months. I have enjoyed it! But I did feel like it is on the edge of dying. But I did a little more research and found the I need to soak the kumquat’s soil thoroughly when watering it, until water runs out of the drainage holes! We do have a little bud that I am so excited about! (Find it HERE)

Clippings from my houseplants is another way to bring some life to a space. Above is a little clipping from my Kumquat plant.

The peperomia is such a pretty plant with thick leaves. I have one on my kitchen counter in an old candle jar! They do well in low-medium light, watered weekly. This houseplant is pet-friendly! Find it HERE. Easy plant!

Air Plants are perfect for bookcases or somewhere that is is hard to reach to water often. And they are just a really fun style of plant! I water mine every two weeks, soak your air plant in room temperature tap water for 10-20 minutes, depending on size. After soaking gently shake excess water from your plant.They require bright, indirect light and water weekly. *Pet-friendly house plant! (Find them HERE).

The ZZ Plant is characterized by its thick waxy green leaves. They do well in low-medium light. And thankfully they do ok if watered infrequently. I water in small amounts every week. This is a great air purifying plant and great for beginners. (Find HERE). Easy plant!

I couldn’t share a houseplant post without sharing this Oxalis Clover Plant! I got it in March, around St. Patricks Day. It was amazing to watch, because the leaves close up at night. You can keep it indoors all year long. Outdoors it grows and spreads far. Sadly mine died when we were away in Utah for a month, someone overwatered it. Best to water sparingly and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Another favorite “active” plant. The leaves close or come together at night, like hands clasped in prayer. Perfect for low/medium light. I did have mine upstairs, where it wasn’t getting a lot of sun. So I moved it to our coffee table and it has thrived the bright indirect light. This plant is pet-friendly! Keep the soil moist but never soggy. Never let a Calathea Plant sit in water. (Find one HERE). Easy plant once you find where it does best in your home!

This is in the family of my above “prayer plant”. The leaves aren’t as active as the Calathea on my coffee table, but I do notice the leaves move upwards at night too. *Pet-friendly house plant! Find it HERE.

I love this large plant in our bookcase. Umbrella plants or called Schefflera Plants are flexible about watering, but more tolerant of dry soil than overwatering. They don’t like wet feet, so empty the drainage saucer after watering or water in small amounts at a time. They are medium light plants, which means that they need bright but indirect light. (Find online HERE). I found my umbrella plant at Home Depot, but I don’t see them there all the time. Easy Plant!

I know these are a popular plant. I love them. BUT they do love light. I had the large fiddle leaf fig tree below and it died pretty quickly because it wasn’t getting enough sun. I din’t really have a better spot to move it to. They don’t like to sit in water. Water once or twice a week in small amounts. (You can find online HERE). They can be harder to keep alive.

I found the above Fiddle Leaf Fig at Ikea! It has done well here for about 4 months now. I water once a week in small amounts.

Repotting Houseplants-

Early Spring is the best time to repot plant. Yes, I have done it at other times and it has worked. But early spring is best because that is typically when plants have a growth spirt. I have only repotted a hand-full of my houseplants. I typically leave them in their container inside another pot or basket. If I put in a basket I put a tray liner under the plant or inside a large garbage sack to the water doesn’t ruin the basket. But I water in low amounts so the roots don’t sit in water. The size is important here, because typically when we move our plants to a larger pot with more soil, we will be inclined to water more often. A small plant + an oversized planter + lots of soil + overwatering = killing with kindness. Learn more about If you see one or a combination of these signs, you’ll know it’s time to repot:

Roots are growing through the drainage hole at the bottom of the planter

Plants make their own food using light. Fertilizer is more like a vitamin you would take every so often to boost your health. Minerals from soil are released every time you water so your plant can absorb all that goodness. Excess minerals from fertilizer will not be used by your plant and can even damage it. Recently potted plants and low-light plants will not require fertilizer. Spring is the best time to fertilize plants because that’s when they do the most growing. Plants that grow faster, like begonias, should be fertilized more often than plants that grow slowly, like a cactus, or are dormant, i.e., all plants in winter. I do have THIS no chemical fertilizer that I have used on a couple plants. Read all about Fertilizing plants HERE.

You can hide the dirt with some white rocks. I found white marble rocks at our local home improvement store. Inside that Fiddle Leaf Fig is a water meter. I really don’t use it often or think they are necessary. Just stick to the water guides for each plant and a water schedule!

You could also cover the dirt with some Spanish Moss. I added THESE twinkle lights to the top.

The plants I order from The Sill have come with a type of raffia for shipping. This is a great way to keep little kids out of the dirt! I have left some of the raffia on and taken some off.

Houseplants not doing well?

Brown Leaves– When houseplants get brown on their leaves, it’s generally an indication of poor watering habits. The best way to water a houseplant is to thoroughly flush it until water runs freely out the drainage holes. Shallow watering can cause brown tips on the leaves.

Yellow Leaves– The most common reason that plants’ leaves turn yellow is because of moisture stress, which can be from either over watering or under watering. If you have a plant that has yellow leaves, check the soil in the pot to see if the soil is dry.

Gnats– Add a thin layer of pebbles (pretty!) or gravel or GrowStone Gnat Nix to the top of the potting soil in your indoor plant containers. Clean your catch trays. Insert sticky traps into your houseplants. Reducing excess moisture is a key to getting rid of gnats in houseplants.

Common Reasons Houseplants Die–

Not Enough Light.

Watering the wrong way.

Too much fertilizer.

The air is too dry.

You think it’s dead but it’s not.

Hopefully that helped and gave you some courage to try a houseplant! It will purify your air and add so much to a space. If you are worried about babies or toddlers getting into the dirt, it might happen! I had a plant on our coffee table and I think Finn dumped it out on the floor everyday for a week. We would clean it up together and I would talk to him about how it isn’t for him to touch. I was tempted to put the plant up high so he wouldn’t be tempted. But then he wouldn’t learn and I really love a plant on my table! Eventually he lost interest or learned to not play with the plants. After that he hasn’t once touched my plants or really any of my decor.

TODAY ONLY-

Remember today ONLY you can save 10% off of a Houseplant at The Sill. A Snake Plant or a ZZ Plant or a Philodendron are a good place to start. They all make really great gifts too instead of sending flowers! Send a plant. (Use code NESTINGWITHGRACE10 as a 10% off promo code).

Comments

Love this post and so glad you did it! All the plants you have are great, they are beautiful! I was a plant killer, i managed to kill a plant that my mother in law gave me, she must have had it 20 years, and it lasted maybe 2 years after i got it😂😂 so i had to redeem myself and now im obsessed, i cant stop buying plants! Its a good tip to have a schedule, every Monday i water the plants. Makes it easy! I was just thinking this week though- ‘i wonder if Brooke has tips for keeping toddlers out of plants?’ 😅 if they are in reach they WILL get dug up….*sigh* so half my plants are currently huddled on top of my bookcase 🙁

You’ve already inspired me to get house plants. I had a Christmas cactus from my grandmother for years, but since then I’ve gotten the Oxalis Clover plant, purchased around St. Patrick’s day when you got yours (I’ve had to re-pot since its gotten so big and even has white flowers), the ZZ plant (the tag said it was an easy plant to care for), an Umbrella plant (needs re-potting), a Peperomia plant (placed next to my sink), and an English Ivy plant a friend gave me that I have at work. I try and water them once a week. I’ll re-review your tips on how much and how often to water. I love how the Oxalis plant closes its leaves at night. I may have to get a prayer plant now that I know it closes its leaves as well.

Hey Brooke! Thank you so much for inspiring me! I’m in the middle of a bathroom renovation and doing a hanging planter in the window. I already have the planter but wondered what hook you used. It looks like you meant to link it above when talking about softening the corner cabinet on a friends kitchen. Thanks!

Thank you Brooke for such a helpful post. For the house plants do the plant pot need to have a opening for the access water to drain? I am always worried about having too much water at the roots of the plants.

I just always water in small amounts- never too much at once. I would do a saucer under the pots that have holes.And no, not hardly any of my pots have holes. If they do they are inside a basket so I put a trash liner in to protect the basket

Hi, do you have any tips for keeping gnats away? Ever since I started adding more plants in the house, gnats keeping showing up everywhere!! In the kitchen I use a small dish with soapy water to catch them, which helps, but most of my plants are in places where I can’t do that. I love having plants, but the bugs are so annoying!!

I just updated the post on that. Most say it is due to too much water-
Gnats– Add a thin layer of pebbles (pretty!) or gravel or GrowStone Gnat Nix to the top of the potting soil in your indoor plant containers. Clean your catch trays. Insert sticky traps into your houseplants. Reducing excess moisture is a key to getting rid of gnats in houseplants.

I am obsessed with house plants but do have a tendency to kill them once the weather gets cold and overcast. I have lost three so far. Can you tell me the adorable plant that was next to your aloe Vera plant in the cute planter with the face and closed eyes. It’s adorable!

Thank you for all the helpful tips and tricks! I love having house plants and truly believe it’s helped keep me and my kids healthier thru the winter months especially. Could you tel me what the adorable plant in the face planter is with it’s eues closed. It was next to your aloe plant.

Question…I have the same plant that you have on the stool in your upstairs room (not sure of the name of the plant). It’s done well for about 6 months, but recently, the tips of the leaves have started turning brown:( and now all of the new growth seems to turn brown immediately. Any tips? I’m probably over watering, but any other tips you might have for that plant would be appreciated. Also, I’ve never re-potted it

It is in the philodendron family, a monstera plant!
You are right- When houseplants get brown tips on their leaves, it’s generally an indication of poor watering habits. The best way to water a houseplant is to thoroughly flush it until water runs freely out the drainage holes. Shallow watering can cause brown tips on the leaves.

If leaves are yellow- The most common reason that plants’ leaves turn yellow is because of moisture stress, which can be from either over watering or under watering. If you have a plant that has yellow leaves, check the soil in the pot to see if the soil is dry.

I’m so glad a came across your blog. I follow a lot of people on Instagram that just have pretty pictures and that is fine. But it’s not often I go any further than the pics. I really enjoy your stories and the blog! Thanks for the tidbits and the glimpses into yalls life. It’s fun following along!

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Welcome

I have always loved Nesting. It became more rewarding when I started preparing the nest for my Ella Grace, Lola Faith and Finn. I design around things that have a story and mix in funky trendy pieces. I am a Utah native, Connecticut transplant with 18 years experience at a design firm in Utah in designing, managing and as head store buyer. I love Kevin, Ella and Lola, to get my heart rate up in any sort of group setting, eating simple and clean or just give me a sweet potato and I am happy.
Contact me about working together[email protected].